Ask the average person what super power they would wish for and they would probably say the ability to fly or time travel, to read people thoughts or move objects with their mind but ask a manager what super powers managers need and it’s a different story.
As a manager you are expected to make things happen and the tools to do this largely come from within. So self awareness and the ability to understand how your behaviour effects others is the root of your powers. In addition you need the power of persuasion, to get people to do things they don’t necessarily want to do.
The power not just to communicate what you want to happen but to make people understand how and why. Coupled with the power to anticipate problems before they arise thus stoping them being problems, which is a form of seeing into the future. This is made possible by the ability to ask the right questions and spot the bullshit answers.
Add to this a way of organising your time so that everything that needs to get done is done giving the appearance of bending time itself. Leaving you with only the need to be able to make the budget stretch to meet the demand!
Even those with super powers benefit from surrounding themselves with the best which is why the ability to spot talent early and develop it is so often the hallmark of a successful team and organisation. And finally since even those who posses these super powers can’t avoid conflict there is the ability to defuse and resolve.
A cautionary note from HR with management super powers comes the risk of a superiority complex, arrogant and reckless indifference to the consequences of your actions. Which is why the most important yet so often missing super power is “insight “ into how your behaviour as a manager effects those you manage.
